DX WinLink Sessions using QRP & Compromise Antennas

Hello Operators.
Last weekend I participated in an emergency communications exercise called ILMI 2017. The exercise was designed to replicate a terror attack on grid power and communications here in OH.

After the event, I began to wonder about portable operations for emergency communications. Could QRP portable operators, using less than ideal antennas effectively send, receive or relay messages through RMS or BBSLINK stations on HF!?

I felt the answer to this question was especially important in areas where the RMS or BBSLINK station density (Outside of North America), is quite low, or within a disaster area, where the supporting stations we are accustomed to using, are themselves overloaded or victums of the disaster.
I'll follow up this video with the video of the actual emergency exercise. For now please check out the results of my test.

73
Julian oh8stn

 

Hey Julian you are stealing my schtick! I've been promoting the benefits of Winlink/QRP for some time. Enjoy!

73,
Al

 

Do you know of somewhere where I can read up on BBSLINK? When I searched on Google all I was finding are telnet BBS systems.

 

Try searching yahoogroups or hflink.net for MARS-ALE.

 

i found the link.
http://hflink.net/bbslink/

 

Cool. Thanks for the info.

 

Great stuff...love the HF link site.

Couldn't help but wonder what the Houston area ARES folks are up to. Here's a link to their EMCOM plan manual, check out digital comms staring on page 14: http://www.arrlstx.org/images/STX_ARES_Emergency_Communications_Plan_3.4.pdf

Their main ARES site: http://www.harriscountyares.org/

A lot of info there...looks like they practice EMCOMS frequently.

 

I used Winlink when I was in Nairobi, in March 2017. I used a dipole antenna cut for 20m, an Icom 7000, the SCS PTIIusb modem and a laptop. although my messages did get through, the absence of base stations in Africa is a problem. I couldn't logon to any European Winlink stations, and only managed to connect to a station in South Africa and once to a station in Namibia. If I had QRP, the signals would have gone nowhere. The biggest problem is noise from the many third world destined chargers and crappy switching power supplies. I was in the center of Nairobi, in a house with a big garden. Maybe in the bush, it would have been different, but then I would need power. This is my experience in a realistic setting. When back, I will try again to do the same but this time, in the bush.

 

I've done a lot of QRP Winlink in the States but it sounds like you had some rough conditions to contend with. One technique that helped my Winlink DX successes (Mexico and Canada) was constructing a wire 2-element Yagi Uda inverted V. It made the difference.

While I'm a big proponent of QRP for various reasons, sometimes QRO is the way to go to get comms up. (Can't believe I just wrote that...gonna get kicked off the "QRP" forums now.)

73,
Al

 

I am a new ham but have interest in the digital communications aspect. Can you expand on your rig setup? Do you use any CAT controllers? Thanks in advance

 

Welcome to the "hobby".
I am primarily a portable digital mode operator, so I like to keep things as simple and lightweight as possible.

Ultra portable
For casual portable comms, I like to stick to chat modes like PSK31, PSK63, ... For that I'm using an Android Tablet, WolphiLink audio interface, and Yaesu FT-817ND without CAT control. For the most part digital modes like psk, rtty, jt65, ... are on a fixed dial frequency, but unique audio frequency. The audio frequency is usually changed within the app itself, so there's no point to have CAT control in those cases, leaving your audio interface and a list of operating frequencies for the mode, all that's required. I have a variety of antennas, so one is picked based on location, mode of transport, ... on the day.

Advanced fixed/portable comms
For more Advanced Communications eg. FSQ, Olivia, ... I'm still using the Yaesu ft-817nd, but the audio interface is ZLP MiniProSC. Naturally I move over from a tablet to a laptop. The laptop is running FLDIGI for the most part. I am using a USB CAT control interface for the ft-817, allowing FLDIGI, to control push to talk and frequency of the radio. In hindsight I would have taken the ZLP MiniSCPro which has audio interface and CAT control in the same little device, with individual cables coming out of it for CAT control and audio interface ports on the 817.

WinLink & PC-ALE, WSPR, FT8, JT65, ...
I'm also using CAT control for WinLink, ALE, ... through there apps respectively. Same audio interface as mentioned above.

One mistake we often make as new operators is mixing up cat control with the audio interface. In older radio designs like the Yaesu ft-817 control an audio interface are on two different ports. Many operators use the CAT control for logging purposes, or to simply allow their digital mode app to control the frequency of the radio. The audio interface is used to manage audio levels into and out of the radio or laptop and sometimes to manage the push-to-talk as well. On newer radio designs there's often a sound card already built in with CAT control and audio IO on a USB port.

Anyway your question sounds like an up-coming video from the field.
73
Julian oh8stn





Welcome to the "hobby".
I am primarily a portable digital mode operator. For casual comms, I like to stick to chat modes like PSK31/63, Olivia, FSQ, ... For that I'm using the

 

Julian is the go-to expert on digital comms in my book. FWIW, Julian and I both use FT-817s. The 817 is going to be pretty much functionally identical to your 857 (as listed on your QRZ page.) All you really need to get started is a soundcard like the Signalink USB or similar. The Wolphilink will work with Android.

May I suggest JT 65 if you like to chase DX and Winlink HF email for contingency communications. Like Irma. Hope you are prepared for that monster heading your way.

73,
Al

 

Thank you for the reply. Never really ready for something like this but still prepping. Antennas are down and will do voice comms only. Right now the 857D is in a pelican case with PS, tuner, and wiring (including a cheap dipole). I will also use my cheapo Baofeng with an Ed Fong J-pole for 2 meters. I will also put up a CB to monitor channel 9. Thanks again.
Mike

 

Winlink Africa? That is what is on my mind. I'm new here. Just got my amateur radio license a few hours ago. Only learned of Winlink a few days ago. I am interested in an inexpensive QRP automated solution for emergency coms. Is there some inexpensive (for Americans-Europeans) fully automated thing, maybe using SDR and a Raspberry PI? In my imagination I see a simple vertical 3 band thing. But maybe I don't understand Winlink much... not yet. I have a home in Africa.

PS. Just opened this, which helps a bit, but demonstrates it is far to expensive, unreliable, and power hungry. So maybe my idea has not ever been done before now. http://www.philsherrod.com/Winlink/Getting_Started_with_Winlink_and_WINMOR.pdf